Glossary Term

doxorubicin
(DOK-soh-ROO-bih-sin)

A drug used to treat many types of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, sarcoma, Wilms tumor, and cancers of the lung, breast, stomach, ovary, thyroid, and bladder. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Doxorubicin comes from the bacterium Streptomyces peucetius. It damages DNA and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of anthracycline antitumor antibiotic. The brand names Adriamycin PFS, Adriamycin RDF, and Rubex have been taken off the market and are no longer available. Also called doxorubicin hydrochloride and hydroxydaunorubicin.